By Edgardo Avelar
02 Nov 2024, 23:20 PM EDT
Atlanta United, with an agonizing goal from the Portuguese Xande Silva in the 94th minute of running time, surprised the team 2-1. Inter Miami to lengthen the series first round of the playoffs of Major League Soccer (MLS) to a third and dramatic meeting
When the painting of the Herons was expected With its legion of stars put land in between to advance to the semifinals of the final series of North American football, the team from the state of Georgia brought them back to earth and showed them that not everything is tinsel and photo flashes, but pride and passion on the playing field.
Now we will have to wait to the final match that will be played on the territory of the Florida squad at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, after the local team was able to recover from a blunder by goalkeeper Brad Guzan that allowed Paraguayan David Martínez to put the visiting team ahead in the 40th minute, believing that the ticket to the next phase was very close .
But the local reaction came in the second half and with goals from the Irishman Derrick Williams with a header at minute 58 and from the Portuguese will continue the path to the MLS grand final.
The details
Inter Miami arrived at the Mercedes Benz Stadium with all its tinsel of the Supporters’ Shield champion title to the best team of the regular season, trying to strike the second blow of the tie and Martínez’s goal in the first half encouraged their plans.
Much more when its greatest star, Argentine Lionel Messi scored with a headerbut then the joy went down the drain when the South American’s score was annulled to maintain parity in the actions that ended up giving life to the visitors until the agonizing goal by the Portuguese Silva.
Atlanta United after their loss last week in Miamiwanted to have the support of all their followers and opened all the seats to have more support until achieving this valuable victory that keeps them alive in the competition.
While Inter Miami He did not have the Spanish Sergio Busquets in the midfield and perhaps this factor can explain some of the causes of this surprising result, but in the end both teams engaged in a duel of give and take.
Thus the goalkeeper of the Garzas Drake Callender, had to try his hardest to prevent their goal from being violated by a shot from Russian Aleksey Miranchuk from outside the area when barely half an hour into the game.
Inter Miami did not take long to respond and there the veteran Brad Guzan made a serious mistake that frustrated Atlanta’s efforts when with the ball in his hands he gave it to Federico Redondo and he gave it to Martínez to nest the ball in the nets that put them ahead 0-1 at minute 40.
From there Inter Miami felt strong led by Messibut without being able to finish and with that it gave strength to Atlanta United so that in the second half Derrick Williams, another central defender, put things 1-1 at minute 58.
The best of the meeting
From this goal onwards, the actions began to go back and forth.in which both teams could win. First Messi tempted luck with almost an Olympic goal, something he has never achieved in his career, in the 70th minute and then scored with a header, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
So with the shadow of the penalties already on the way, Xande Silva’s agonizing goal arrived at minute 94 to send the tie to a third and agonizing third match that will be defined on Floridians’ land.
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